Likud Court Ruling Bars Sitting MKs and Ministers from District Primaries

The internal battle over the Likud party primaries has concluded with a significant setback for sitting Knesset members and ministers. The Tel Aviv District Court rejected petitions challenging the Likud party's internal tribunal decision, which upheld a rule preventing current MKs, ministers, and their deputies from running in district-based primaries. This ruling forces these politicians to compete only on the national party list in the upcoming internal elections.

The contested clause, which was at the center of multiple petitions to the Likud tribunal, had allowed incumbents to run in district primaries where the margin of victory was very narrow. However, the Likud tribunal annulled this provision last week, sparking controversy within the party, especially among MKs intending to run in district races.

With the district court's dismissal of the appeals, the tribunal's decision stands firm, effectively barring sitting MKs and ministers from district-level contests. This development reshapes the internal electoral landscape ahead of the Likud primaries, limiting the options for incumbent politicians and potentially impacting the party's candidate selection process.